Day 26, Wall, Sd to Sioux Falls, SD

Too big for the car and way too stubborn!

Today started with breakfast with in Wall.  The Days Inn, which we liked very much, provided a free breakfast which was run as nicely as the rest of the place.  We had a pleasant conversation with manager Theresa about running a tourist hotel in a town of 800 in the middle of nowhere.



Gloria should have taken the one that tried to climb in the Window.



Since a lot of the guests descended on the breakfast room at the same time space was at a premium, so Gloria invited another pair of travelers, Jim and Maryanne, from Wisconsin to join us.  We had a pleasant conversation and got a tip about a little Wisconsin dairy that makes its own cheese and sells it on the premises.  It is a little off the path, but you know us.  Stay tuned on this one.



This one is definitely out of reach.

As many readers of this blog know, my good friend Bob asked me to bring home a buffalo after seeing the picture of Gloria chasing the one away from the window in Yellowstone.   Sorry Bob, but none of these would fit in the car.  We will keep trying.

On the way we stopped at a little South Dakota town called Ocoma.  Ocoma is on the Missouri river which is above flood stage and rising.  The local Sheriff told us that they were fighting to save the town, and other residents across the highway at Al’s Oasis reported that four homes were being sandbagged already and that an additional two and a half feet of water was expected by Saturday.  Those of you who are addicted to the weather channel probably already know about the flooding in North Dakota which has already broken hundred year records for flooding.  Our best wishes go out to these good people. Speaking of Al’s Oaisis, it is a little like Wall Drug, on a smaller scale.  A large restaurant with very good and inexpensive food and lots of interesting gifts and crafts compete with a grocery store and lodge for space.



View of the Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD from Main Street



However, the really big off the road adventure was totally unplanned (we missed our exit for the planned attraction, 1880 Town).  On the way west we had seen a sign for something called the Corn Palace.  We saw a sign again on the way east and since the time corresponded to the need for a break from the highway, we descended on the town of Mitchell, South Dakota to find out what a Corn Palace was.  After all, we visited Idaho’s Potato Museum, so it seemed only fair.

One of dozens of corn pictures found inside and outside the Corn Palace

What we found was one of the most inspiring examples of civic pride and creative artistry of the trip.  The Corn Palace is a cross between an arena and an art museum featuring huge murals formed from colored ears of corn. The town started the project before WWII as a way to establish Mitchell as a destination, and every year the special colored ears of corn are grown in the area and used to fashion new murals.  High school student Emilie gave us an outstanding guided tour of the murals and facility.  I wonder if my friend artist Martin Bloom has considered this form of collage.



Gloria goofing around with the corn mascot in the gift shop.

Mitchell has a lot of other attractions to offer.  This would definitely be a place for a longer stop next time we are out this way.  Once again, the spontaneous off the beaten path triumphs.

We may be reworking our trip back.  There is the out of the way dairy in Murdo, Wisconsin and the possibility of a water route through the great lakes.  It seems that there is a ferry boat across Lake Michigan that goes from Milwakee Wisconsin to Muskegon Michigan.  If we can track that down and it is not too expensive we may take that route home.  Stay tuned.